Blackberry plant named &#39;Amara&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Blackberry plant named ‘Amara’ as described and shown herein. ‘Amara’ has a primocane fruiting habit on a thornless plant, coupled with high fruit quality (visually attractive with excellent flavor, firmness, and low regression to red drupelets in post harvest).

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Blackberries are a well-known, aggregate fruit enjoyed by manythroughout the world. One example of an existing, patented blackberryvariety is APF-8 (marketed as Prime Jan® blackberry), U.S. Plant Pat.No. 15,788. Another example of an existing blackberry variety is‘Camila’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,787 filed 4 Jan.2013. Such varieties both provide fruit on primocanes, but are thorny.Thus, there is a need for a blackberry variety that is thornless yetprovides desirable fruit on primocanes.

The present cultivar, ‘Amara’, provides one or more of these or othercharacteristics. For example, the present cultivar, ‘Amara’, isthornless while also providing desirable fruit on primocanes.

Compared to APF-8 based on some typical results, the present cultivar,Amara (also known as “HFM-2”), and APF-8 are both primocane-fruitingblackberries, but Amara is thornless. In addition, the fruits of Amaraare considerably firmer and smaller (7.6 g versus 9.8 g, respectively)than those of APF-8. Amara fruits are sweeter than those of APF-8 (10.9°Brix versus 9.8° Brix, respectively). In post-harvest storage, fruits ofAmara maintain higher levels of firmness (85% firm at 7 days at 5° C.)than fruits of APF-8 (50% firm at 7 days at 5° C.). Amara fruits alsohave a lower level of regression to red drupelets (less than 10%) inpost-harvest storage (same conditions and time as above observation)than those of APF-8 (20 to 25% regression). The ripening date ofprimocane fruits of Amara and APF-8 are similar.

Compared to Camila based on some typical results, the present cultivar,Amara (also known as “HFM-2”), and Camila are both primocane-fruitingblackberries, but Amara is thornless. In addition, Amara and Camila havethe same maternal parent (‘APF-77’ cultivar) but Amara has lessvegetative vigor and shorter internodes than Camila. Further, Amarabegins flowering (on primocanes) about five days before Camila, butCamila takes about 60 days from flower opening to fruit ripening whileAmara takes about 75 days, so Amara fruit ripens about ten days afterCamila. Fruits of both varieties are broadly oblong in shape, but thoseof Amara are slightly smaller than the fruits of Camila, averaging 7.6grams versus 8.4 grams, respectively. Amara fruits are not as sweet asfruits of Camila (10.9° Brix versus 15.1° Brix, on average,respectively), however neither variety has any bitter aftertaste commonto other blackberry varieties. Titratable acidity of Amara is alsosomewhat higher than Camila 0.9% versus 0.7%, respectively. Fruits ofAmara are considerably firmer than those of Camila, with 85% and 35%firm fruit, for each variety, respectively, after 7 days at 5° C.

Speaking more generally about blackberry varieties, there are a numberof thornless blackberries in existence, but they are not primocanefruiting types. On the other hand, there are some existingprimocane-fruiting blackberries, but these are not thornless. Comparedto the thorny primocane-fruiting blackberries, Amara is somewhat similarto the variety ‘Reuben’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,497) in that both havemoderate stature and erect architecture. Of the thornless,floricane-fruiting blackberries, Amara is somewhat similar to thevariety ‘Ouachita’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,162) in that both fruit onfloricanes during the mid-season.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of the whole plant of the Blackberry cultivar‘Amara’, showing the thornless stems and general appearance of theplant. The photograph was taken on 16 Apr. 2013, the plants are 12months old, and are growing in Hualcapo, fifth Region of Valparaiso,Chile.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a flower of the Blackberry cultivar ‘Amara’.

FIG. 3 is a close-up photograph of ripe and unripe fruit on primocanesof the Blackberry cultivar ‘Amara’. The photograph was taken on 28 Apr.2013. The plants are 12 months old and growing in Hualcapo, fifth Regionof Valparaiso, Chile.

FIG. 4 is a close-up photograph of a leaf detail of the Blackberrycultivar ‘Amara’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Note: statements of characteristics herein represent exemplaryobservations of the cultivar herein and will vary depending on time ofyear, location, annual weather, etc. Where dimensions, sizes, colors,and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that suchcharacteristics are approximations and averages. The descriptionsreported herein are largely from specimen plants grown in Chile duringthe normal Chilean growing season. Data were obtained on plants thatwere 1-4 years old.

-   Cultivar name: ‘Amara’-   Classification:-   Family: Rosaceae-   Botanical name: Rubus rubus-   Common name: Blackberry-   Parentage:-   Female parent: APF-77. APF-77 is a proprietary cultivar marketed    under the trademark Black Magic™. APF-77 is also the subject of U.S.    Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/374,444, filed 29 Dec. 2011.    Differentiation of Amara from female parent APF-77 (note, APF-77    (and APF-8, discussed above) were evaluated in Arkansas, USA while    Amara was evaluated in central Chile): Both APF-77 and Amara are    primocane-fruiting blackberry cultivars, but Amara is distinct in    that it is thornless, even completely thornless, while APF-77 has    thorny stems. Amara and APF-77 bear fruit on floricanes as well as    primocanes. It appears that fruits of Amara tend to be sweeter than    those of APF-77: in Chile, Amara fruits have an average of 10.9°    Brix whereas those of APF-77 in Arkansas have an average of 10.1°    Brix. There appears to be a difference in fruit size also, with    floricane fruits of APF-77 in Arkansas weighing on average 6 to 7    grams, whereas floricane fruits of Amara weigh only 5.7 g. Male    parent: A-2293T. A-2293T is a proprietary variety but not subject to    plant patent. Differentiation of Amara from male parent A-2293T    (note, A-2293T was evaluated in Arkansas, USA while Amara was    evaluated in central Chile): A-2293T and Amara are both thornless,    but A-2293T does not have primocane-fruiting habit, this is the    primary difference. In Arkansas, floricane fruits of A-2293T begin    ripening slightly earlier than those of APF-8, beginning around 10    and 12 June, respectively. In Chile the floricane fruits of Amara    ripen at about the same corresponding time as those of APF-8 grown    in Chile, therefore it appears that if Amara and A-2293T were grown    in the same environment, then the dates of floricane fruit ripening    would also be similar. Floricane fruits of Amara are larger than    those of A-2293T: The average weight of floricane fruits are 4.5 g    for A-2293T (in Arkansas) and 5.7 g for Amara (in Chile). Soluble    solids of Amara and A-2293T appear to be similar, with average    values for Amara in Chile being 11.2° Brix and for A-2293T, being    11.0° Brix in Arkansas.

Further information about the new variety Amara:

The cross that created Amara was made in 2006 near Clarksville, Ark.,USA. It was a controlled hand pollination of the female APF-77×maleA-2293T. Seeds of this cross were sent to Chile in September 2006 andwere planted in a nursery in Hijuelas, 5th Region of Valparaiso, Chile.The seedlings were then planted in Nogales (32°44′39.9″ S; 71°10′30.4″W), 5th region of Valparaiso in December 2007 and January 2008. Thefirst evaluation of the seedlings of this cross was made during thesouthern hemisphere summer of December 2008 to March 2009. The Age ofplants used for the photographs in the Figures: 12 months.

References to color refer to the R.H.S.—Fifth Edition.

The first asexual reproduction of Amara occurred in 2010 when tissuecultures of Amara were established in vitro with whole-bud explants fromprimocanes (vegetative shoots) in a tissue culture lab in Macul,Santiago, Chile. About 100 plantlets were successfully propagated andacclimatized by this micropropagation method. In 2012, fifty plantletsfrom micropropagation were planted in a trial plot in Hualcapo, fifthRegion of Valparaiso, Chile. No off types have been observed to date.

Amara was first selected in December 2008 in the variety garden atNogales, Fifth Region of Valparaiso, Chile. The selection was made basedon Amara's high floricane fruit quality (good flavor, attractiveappearance, and high firmness) combined with lack of undesirable thorns.In later evaluations, it was seen that the primocane fruits of Amarashare the good traits observed on the floricane fruits. After firstbeing selected based on floricane fruiting habit, Amara was cut to theground each winter (thereby eliminating any floricanes or floricanefruits) so floricane fruits were only evaluated in the first year(2008/2009), but the primocane fruits were evaluated in 2009 and 2010.

-   General description:-   A) Plant:-   Average size information: Amara is a thornless, primocane-fruiting    blackberry with abundant yields of large, sweet, very firm fruits    that show a low rate of regression to red drupelets in post-harvest    storage. It is a vigorous and productive variety.    -   -   Growth.—Plants of Amara have good vegetative vigor and an            erect growth habit. New primocanes emerge mainly from the            crown and also as suckers from the roots.        -   Growth rate.—The growth rate is medium, with primocanes            reaching 40 cm in height within 60 days from emergence.        -   Productivity.—Medium low in the first (primocane crop), but            yields are high with each successive floricane and primocane            crop cycle. Yields on the first primocane fruiting cycle of            a newly planted field are between 0.7 to 1.0 kg per linear            meter of row. The floricane crops yield about 2.5 kg of            fruit per meter row and the primocane crops (not including            the first primocane crop) are between 2.5 and 3.0 kg per            meter row.        -   Cold hardiness.—Ultimate cold hardiness is unknown, but in            Chile dormant plants have resisted midwinter lows of −7° C.            without damage.        -   Branching height of the plants.—not measured, the plants are            always pinched in order to stimulate higher rates of            productivity on primocanes.-   B) Canes:-   General description: moderately vigorous, erect, no thorns    -   -   Cane diameter (indicate point of measurement).—Floricane:            Base: 1.62 cm Midpoint: 0.83 cm Terminal: 0.55 cm Mature            primocane: Base: 1.62 cm Midpoint: 0.80 cm Terminal: 0.50 cm            Internode length: Base: 5.47 cm Midpoint: 4.65 cm Terminal:            3.45 cm Thorn density/30 cm: Base: 0Midpoint: 0 Terminal: 0            Primocane color: Base: Background Color: Yellow Green Group            144B overlaid with lines of color in the Grayed-Orange Group            172B Midpoint: The cane color in the shaded portions is in            the Yellow Green Group 144B, however where exposed to sun,            the color is in the Greyed-Red 178B. Terminal: Grayed-Red            Group 178B Floricane color: Base: Greyed-Orange Group 177C            Midpoint: Greyed-Orange Group 177C Terminal: data not            available due to pruning Date of primocane emergence:            Primocanes begin to emerge during the second week of October            (in the southern Hemisphere at 32° 45′ S. Lat., 220 m elev.)            and continue emerging until the second week of February.            Date of budbreak: Not Measured-   C) Foliage:-   General description: Leaves with two to five leaflets, margins are    triple-serrate. Petioles and veins, as with the rest of the plant,    are thornless.    -   -   Leaves.—Width: 15.9 cm Length: 19.4 cm (including petiole)            Number of leaflets: 3 to 5 per leaf.        -   Leaflet.—Width: 5.1 cm Length: 8.8 cm (including petiolules)            Margin: Double or triple serrate Shape: Ovate. Base Adaxial:            Green Group 137A in the middle, but the borders of the            leaves in the Greyed-Orange Group 166A Base Abaxial: Green            Group 138A Midpoint Adaxial: Green Group 137B Midpoint            Abaxial: Green Group 138B Terminal Adaxial: Yellow-Green            Group 144A Terminal Abaxial: Yellow-Green Group 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: 7.6 cm Color: Greyed-Red Group 178B.        -   Petiolules.—Length: 0.18-3.4 cm Color: adaxial side:            Greyed-Orange Group 166A Abaxial side: Yellow-Green Group            N144A.-   D) Flowers foliage:    -   -   Primocane.—Date of bloom: (Southern Hemisphere) 10% bloom:            25th of December 50% bloom: 5th of January Last bloom: 3nd            week of January.        -   Floricane.—Date of bloom: (Southern Hemisphere) 10% bloom:            12^(th) of October 50% bloom: 25^(th) of October Last bloom:            Last week of October.        -   Petal color.—White Group NN155B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Erect and numerous Pistils:            Numerous Pollen: Fertile and abundant. Ovary: Superior.        -   Flower diameter.—2.4-4.7 cm.        -   Petal size.—Width: 1.2 cm Length: 1.9 cm.        -   Average number flowers per cluster.—11.        -   Average number of petals per flower.—5.        -   Peduncle length.—0.75-2.55 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A.-   E) Fruit foliage-   General description: The fruits of Amara are medium to large sized,    very firm, very sweet and with very good flavor. They have good    black color which is uniform and glossy. The fruits have a low rate    of regression to red drupelets in post harvest storage    -   -   Primocane.—Average first ripe date: 25th of February in            Nogales, Fifth Region of Valparaiso, Chile, which date is            about the same time as the ripening date for APF-8 (Prime            Jan®) under the same conditions. The primocane harvest lasts            for approximately 30 days. Size: Medium to Large (7.6 g on            average). Diameter: Equator: 2.27 cm Base pole: 2.30 cm            Terminal pole: 2.02 cm Length: 3.04 cm Shape: broadly oblong            to conic shape Drupelet size: Medium (0.34 cm average) Seed            size: Small Firmness: Very Firm Flavor: Sweet, without            bitter aftertaste Soluble solids: 10.9° Bx pH: 3.2 Acidity:            0,92 Processed quality: Not evaluated. Uses: Fresh Market            Prickles: None.        -   Floricane.—Average first ripe date: 15th of December in            Nogales, Fifth Region of Valparaiso, Chile. This date is            approximately 20 days before Navaho. The floricane harvest            lasts for about 30 days. Size: Medium (5.7 g on average).            Diameter: Equator: 1.92 cm Base pole: 2.07 cm Terminal pole:            1.80 cm Length: 2.6 cm Shape: Round, somewhat conic Drupelet            size: Medium, 0.34 cm Seed size: Small Firmness: Very Firm            Flavor: Sweet, without bitter aftertaste. Soluble solids:            11.2° Bx pH: Not measured. Acidity: Not measured Processed            quality: Not evaluated. Uses: Fresh Market Prickles: None

Thus, in some aspects, the Amara blackberry is characterized by having aprimocane fruiting habit on a thornless plant, coupled with high fruitquality (visually attractive with excellent flavor, firmness, and lowregression to red drupelets in post harvest). In addition, theproductivity is low in the first production cycle (primocanes),typically yielding no more than 1.0 kg per meter of row, but after thefirst production cycle the productivity increases substantially (2.5 kgor greater per meter row). This may be evidence of a longer juvenileperiod (that effects productivity) in Amara.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Blackberry plantnamed ‘Amara’ as described and shown herein.